Hardline Iranian MPs file motion to impeach Abbas Araghchi over unauthorized US talks

A group of hardline Iranian MPs, led by Amirhossein Sabeti, has filed an impeachment motion against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi over an unauthorized September 22, 2026, meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff. While critics accuse Araghchi of acting without supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei's approval, supporters like Mohsen Rezaei assert the contact was authorized to convey Iran's terms. The dispute highlights deep internal divisions over diplomatic engagement with Washington during ongoing regional conflict.

Filing of the impeachment motion

• ▪Iranian member of parliament Alireza Salimi stated that filing the impeachment motion does not mean the parliament speaker supports it or that it will reach the floor for a vote.
• ▪A group of hardline Iranian members of parliament, led by Amirhossein Sabeti of the Paydari Front, filed an impeachment motion against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in October 2026.
• ▪Mohammad Rashidi, a member of the Iranian parliament's presiding board, confirmed on October 6, 2026, that the impeachment request against Abbas Araghchi had been registered in the electronic system.

Details of the alleged US-Iran meeting

• ▪Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei contradicted the unauthorized meeting claims, stating it was agreed Abbas Araghchi would convey Iran's conditions to intermediaries during his New York trip.
• ▪The impeachment motion alleges that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with United States special envoy Steve Witkoff on September 22, 2026, without authorization from Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
• ▪During the New York talks, Abbas Araghchi proposed the immediate lifting of the United States naval blockade and transfer of frozen Iranian assets, which United States President Donald Trump rejected.
• ▪The September 22, 2026, meeting between Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff was mediated by Qatar and focused on conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Opposition to the impeachment motion

• ▪Iranian member of parliament Ruhollah Lak Aliabadi opposed the impeachment, stating that impeaching the foreign minister during a wartime situation is not in the country's interest and signals weakness.
• ▪Conservative Iranian political figure Mansour Haghighatpour pushed back against the impeachment of Abbas Araghchi, stating that 'you do not change saddles in wartime.'

Signs of support for Araghchi

• ▪The memorial service for Abbas Araghchi's sister, who died during the UN General Assembly, drew one of the largest gatherings of Iranian officials since the start of the war.
• ▪The Iranian foreign ministry formally designated Abbas Araghchi as a member of Iran's six-person decision-making team, signaling that he retained the regime's confidence after his New York trip.

Hajideligani's impeachment efforts

• ▪Iranian member of parliament Hosseinali Hajideligani accused Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi of repeatedly helping to lower oil prices for the United States through targeted interviews.
• ▪Iranian member of parliament Hosseinali Hajideligani stated in August 2026 that hardline lawmakers were gathering documentation for a formal impeachment motion against Abbas Araghchi.

Debatable claims

• ▪Diplomatic negotiations with the United States are the best way to secure Iran's interests
• ▪Iran's parliament should impeach Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi